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T O P I C R E V I E W

Robert Pearlman

White House Statement on the Nomination of Michael Griffin to be NASA Administrator

THE WHITE HOUSEOffice of the Press Secretary(Shreveport, Louisiana)For Immediate Release

March 11, 2005

President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate one individual to serve in his Administration:

The President intends to nominate Michael D. Griffin, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Dr. Griffin currently serves as Space Department Head at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Prior to that, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of In-Q-Tel, Inc. He also served in several positions within Orbital Sciences Corporation, including Chief Executive Officer of Magellan Systems, Inc. Earlier in his career, Dr. Griffin served as Chief Engineer at NASA and as Deputy for Technology at the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization. He received a bachelor's degree in Physics from Johns Hopkins University; a master's degree in Aerospace Science from Catholic University of America; a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland; a master's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California; a master's degree in Applied Physics from Johns Hopkins University; a master's degree in Business Administration from Loyola College; and a master's degree in Civil Engineering from The George Washington University.

Robert Pearlman

The Right Person at the Right Time NSS applauds choice of Dr. Michael Griffin for NASA Administrator

Washington, DC - March 11, 2005 In response to the announcement of Dr. Michael Griffin's appointment as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, George T. Whitesides, Executive Director of the National Space Society, made the following remarks:

"Dr. Griffin is a superb choice to lead NASA at this critical moment. Dr. Griffin's extensive space experience and bold leadership style will create a powerful driver for implementation of the vision for space exploration."

"Mike is well known for combining a deep passion for space with a rigorous commitment to no-nonsense management. That is exactly what NASA needs now."

"The National Space Society looks forward to supporting Dr. Griffin as he tackles the challenges of the coming years. NASA has a wonderful and inspiring mission before it, and Dr. Griffin is the right captain for this ship."

About the National Space Society

The National Space Society (NSS) is an independent, grassroots organization dedicated to the creation of a spacefaring civilization. Founded in 1974, NSS is widely acknowledged as the preeminent citizen's voice on space. NSS counts thousands of members and over 50 chapters in the United States and around the world. The society also publishes Ad Astra magazine, an award-winning periodical chronicling the most important developments in space. For more information about NSS, how to join or donate, or the annual International Space Development Conference, visit:

Chairman Boehlert said, "We are extremely pleased that the President has nominated Mike Griffin to be NASA Administrator. Dr. Griffin has long been a resource to the Science Committee, both as a public witness and in providing private counsel. He has broad expertise, knows NASA inside and out, and is an imaginative and creative thinker and leader. He is also known for his candor and directness. We look very forward to working with Dr. Griffin at this critical time for NASA."

Chairman Calvert said, "I want to congratulate Dr. Griffin on his appointment as administrator of NASA. President Bush could not have made a better selection. His background in academia, technical research, government service and the private sector is just what NASA needs as we move forward with the President's Vision, commercial human spaceflight, unmanned robotic space exploration and returning the shuttle to flight. I have every confidence that he is the right leader for the right time in NASA's future."

Space Foundation comments on nomination of Mike Griffin To be NASA administrator

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Mar. 11, 2005) The Space Foundation issued the following statement in response to today's announcement by the White House that Dr. Michael Griffin has been nominated to serve as NASA Administrator. The statement should be attributed to Space Foundation President & Chief Executive Officer Elliot G. Pulham.

"This is a critical year for NASA, when the agency must demonstrate through successful return to flight and decisive internal change that it is ready to implement the Vision for Space Exploration. Dr. Griffin will need to be bold, decisive and forceful within the agency, and a convincing communicator on Capitol Hill.

"Dr. Griffin brings impressive technical expertise and the right leadership skills and experience to the job of NASA administrator. Once confirmed, he will take the helm of an agency that has been set on the right track by the White House and by the outgoing administrator. But much of the difficult job of transforming NASA remains ahead. Rice bowls need to be smashed, walls torn down, finances put in order. Under performing or non-value added enterprises within the agency need to be outsourced, reinvented or eliminated.

"It is clear that this Administration is committed to a relevant and meaningful space exploration program. The challenge to Dr. Griffin will be in reshaping NASA so the agency is indeed relevant and meaningful, and articulating a persuasive, non- partisan political imperative for the agency that all Americans can rally behind."

About the Space Foundation

Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, the Space Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that vigorously advances civil, commercial, and national security space endeavors and educational excellence. The Space Foundation has offices in Washington, D.C., and Cape Canaveral, Fla. The Space Foundation annually conducts, along with its partnering organizations, the National Space Symposium, scheduled April 4-7, 2005, at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs; and Strategic Space 2005, scheduled Oct. 4-6, 2005, in Omaha, Neb. For more information, visit www.spacefoundation.org.

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Robert Pearlman

Griffin Good for Space Exploration, Says Planetary Society

NASA Administrator-Designate is Strong Supporter of Vision for Space Exploration

Planetary Society leaders applaud the choice of Michael Griffin as proposed NASA Administrator, as announced today by President Bush. The appointment comes as Congress debates America's role in space - a role that was changed last year by the Administration's new policy focusing U.S. space goals on human and robotic exploration of the solar system.

Planetary Society President, Wes Huntress said, "Mike is an excellent choice because of his passion for space exploration, his technical expertise and his long experience in space flight engineering. He resonates with the President's new vision for space and will add a down-to-earth insistence on logic and realism." Huntress served as NASA Associate Administrator from 1992 to 1998.

Griffin's appointment comes at a critical time for the Agency. In two months, the shuttle is expected to return to flight after a hiatus of more than two years following the loss of the Columbia orbiter and its crew in 2003. That accident led to a re-evaluation of the purpose of human space flight and a consequent redirection of human space flight policy by the United States. The new direction points towards planetary destinations beyond Earth orbit and away from a long-term focus on the shuttle and international space station. Funding this Vision for Space Exploration is a key issue in the proposed NASA budget currently being considered by Congress.

Louis Friedman, Society Executive Director, noted, "The new exploration vision for space policy is a radical change for NASA operations. Mike Griffin can provide the strong leadership required to turn this vision into reality."

The Planetary Society strongly recommends the early retirement of the space shuttle, an early completion of the new Crew Exploration Vehicle, development of a heavy-lift launch vehicle using shuttle rocket components, and a strong focus on the Mars exploration goal as a driver for the intermediate milestones at the Moon or elsewhere. Read more about Planetary Society recommendations, including Extending Human Presence Into the Solar System, a study led by Mike Griffin and Astronaut Owen Garriott.

Griffin is a strong advocate for space exploration. His broad background includes civil, military and commercial space experience. Prior to his current job as Director of Space at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, he has been Associate Administrator for Exploration at NASA, Vice President at Orbital Space Systems, and a Deputy Director for Technology of the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization. He has also worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory on planetary missions.

Neil Tyson, Chair of The Planetary Society Board and a member of the President's Commission on Implementation of the Vision for Space Exploration, said " The tasks we set forth for NASA in our Commission report requires the likes of Mike Griffin to lead and accomplish. This appointment is the right choice, at the right time, and for all the right reasons. The Planetary Society's Board strongly supports Griffin's appointment as the new NASA Administrator."